It's almost a shame you have to land! Pilots reveal the 26 most beautiful views you can see while approaching airports around the world

These beautiful views have topped a poll by a host of seasoned pilots, travel writers, and industry experts of the most scenic airport approaches.

Users of the private-jet charter firm PrivateFly.com voted on approaches as diverse as the beach-skimming descent onto the Caribbean island St Maarten, to the thrill inducing - but perhaps slightly greyer - bumpy ride into Barra Airport, in the Scottish Outer Hebrides, which is submerged when the tide is high

The poll by PrivateFly.com also took in some of
the world's most iconic airports, including Amsterdam,
Gibraltar, Los Angeles, Rio de Janeiro and Sochi, gateway to this year's
Winter Olympics.

Also in the running is Cape Town Airport - which bears a striking resemblance to the Thunderbirds Tracy Island - and is surrounded by dramatic mountain ranges, and nestled just below - a sprawl of squatter shacks.

Squamish Airport, Canada, is competing for top spot in a poll of the most beautiful landings by PrivateFly.com. It is described as 'sublime... in any season, surrounded by banks of pine trees, mountains and a river'

Venice Marco Polo Airport, Italy, is surrounded by a beautiful seascape, on the approach to Italy's city of canal. According to one judge on the poll - sit on the right hand side of the aircraft for the best view

The emerald green approach to the Virgin Gorda Island - the third largest of the British Virgin Islands. Clive Jacobs (Chairman of Travel Weekly) said: 'True definition of a dust strip but on a beautiful island and a very tricky approach'

Lacking some of the glamour of its fellow poll contenders, Sochi International Airport, Russia, earned a mention for the descent over the Black Sea 'watching the city and Olympic Park unfold in front of you, with a beautiful mountain backdrop'

St Barts Airport is described as one of the 'most breathtaking (hair-raising) landing strips in the world'.
Beautiful circular approach of the island takes in the yachts at the harbour in Gustavia and a thrilling short runway landing almost places you on the beach at St Jean

The full island nestled in clear blue seas can be seen on the approach to Mustique Airport. According to one voter: 'Got to get over the hill pretty quick otherwise you end up in the sea, makes it exciting'

Aside from the stunning cityscape of Los Angeles, the descent into LAX sees passengers coast over the Grand Canyon before a drop in from the Rocky Mountains and into the LA basin with a glimpse of the Pacific Ocean in the background

Queenstown Airport, New Zealand, provides views of 'Pure nature, mountains, hills and sea'. Bill Prince said: 'Incredible approach in the shadow of the peaks with a view seemingly all the way to Milford Sound. Truly an arrival of a lifetime'

A descent into Paro Airport, Bhutan, provides outstanding views of the highest mountains on earth. 'The seat clenching view of the tiny runway, culminating in the shortest heart thumping landing!', one voter says

Nice Cote d'Azur International Airport, France gives passengers a 'beautiful approach either from North East over the Alps then Monaco or West with the red Esterel mountains on the left and blue Med on the right'

Newquay's airport is virtually on the Cornish coast giving passengers perfect views of the sea and beautiful beaches

LaGuardia Airport, in the New York City borough of Queens gives those on the left hand side of the plane a sightseeing view of Manhattan

JFK International Airport, New York, offers the quintessential city view of the Manhattan skyscrapers

London City Airport gives fantastic views. From the East, passengers can see the Thames estuary from QE2 bridge to Silvertown. From the west, the approach takes flights Canary Wharf and you may see Westminster, London Eye, Tower Bridge, St. Pauls

Surrounded by mountains Innsbruck Airport, in Western Tyrol, Austria offers somewhat of a dramatic landing

A flight to Gibraltar Airport, according Patrick Jephson: 'Every arrival an adventure, thanks to airspace restrictions and critically-variable winds. And what a dramatic setting - Africa, Europe and The Rock: the antidote to boring bus-stop airline flights'

Cape Town Airport - which bears a striking resemblance to the Thunderbirds Tracy Island - is surrounded by dramatic mountain ranges, and nestled just below - a sprawl of squatter shacks

The beauty of Belfast City Aiport is more that of an industrial heartland. But it also gives great views over the coast and countryside - and of the shipyard where the Titanic was built

Barra Airport, on the island of Barra, in the Outer Hebrides. It has previously topped a poll of the most dangerous descents for its infamous beach runway - now the only one on the planet regularly used by scheduled flights

Aruba (Queen Beatrix International) Airport. According to voters: 'There is nothing more beautiful than seeing the sparkling blue waters of Aruba on approach. The color of the buildings against the clear waters is picture perfect!'

Aqaba (King Hussein International) Airport is 'at the apex of where four countries meet the Red Sea on Jordan's solitary, tiny coastline'

Amsterdam Schiphol Airport is a special treat for passengers on private planes with its rooftop views over the city